Page 2 of First Date: Divorce
“Tal Bennett,” she repeated blankly.
She’d heard of Bennett from the guys in the Cabot County sheriff’s department, where he ranked as a legend.He’d started his career here, before he’d jumped to the FBI, where he appeared to be on the fast track.Until he abruptly quit, disappeared for more than a year, then resurfaced as a private investigator in central Wyoming.
“Yeah.Owns that Tal Bennett Investigations that’s been making a splash.Pretty darned insistent, too, considering the number of strings he pulled to guarantee I said yes,” grumbled the sheriff.
“He wants me on this operation?”
“Said that, didn’t I?So, what do you say?”
“Where and when?”
CHAPTER ONE
MONDAY
“First, you and I get married.”
“Excuse me?”K.D.Hamilton stared at the man she’d just met in the office of the Shakespeare County sheriff in Bardville, Wyoming.
Introduced as Eric Larkin.
Nobody ever said an attractive face guaranteed sanity.
“First, we get married,” repeated Larkin, as if it were something she might do three times a day instead of never-in-this-lifetime.
“Because we’ll need paperwork in case they check our cover story.Then all you have to do is pretend to be my wife for a week or so.”
Wife.
The word did to her nervous system what Fire!did in a crowded theater — caused a mad stampede for the exits.
“I don’t think—” she started before her protest was overrun.
“Wait a minute, Eric,” said Cully Grainger, the Shakespeare County sheriff and another stranger to K.D.
This was his office.But she had a feeling he’d exude the same calm authority sitting in the middle of a kiddie pool.
Then again, nobody said authority guaranteed sanity, either.
She looked at the third man in the room.Tal Bennett.Another one she hadn’t met until walking into this office a handful of minutes ago.
When and where?
Now she wished she’d asked a few more questions.
Her gaze flicked back to Eric Larkin.
Tal Bennett’s request brought her here to Cully Grainger’s office.But Larkin was the key.
He wasn’t the easiest person to read.
Faint lines fanned from the corners of his eyes and bracketed his mouth, seeming to wait for a smile.Speculation, since he sure wasn’t smiling now.
He was … blocking.
Grainger followed up his “Wait a minute, Eric,” with “All she has to do?You make it sound like she’ll be window dressing.The agreement is that Deputy Hamilton will be involved in the investigation.”
“Contribute, sure, but—”
